[016].

[bonnypiperlad]

[There have been many times in Jamie's life where he's not understood what's going on, usually when there's a name or a word or an idea that's far past his time. Usually he figures out some way to get through, either by questions or by pretending he has a clue. It's worked well enough for him before.

Today, however, it's more difficult to do that, thanks to the very large blank in his memory. It would possibly be frustrating if he wasn't still somewhat disorientated by what had happened, but mostly right now he feels strange, in a bit of a daze that makes thinking difficult. In an effort to try and clear the fog around his head, he starts to wander the Plane with no clear destination in mind. Eventually, he finds himself over by the forest, with a strong urge to sit which he doesn't bother to try and fight, instead settling under a large tree and unwrapping a bundle that he's been carrying with him. In the bundle is a broken hunting knife, which he stares down at like he's expecting it to give him some answers. It doesn't really seem to be cooperating, though, and after a moment he sighs, shaking his head even as he continues to look at the object in his hand.]

Och, I wish I knew what was going on.

(OOC: Another post-death Whodunnit post for anyone interested in trying to figure out clues!)

Comments

[grip_on_reality]

[someone sitting in the forest staring at a broken knife is basically guaranteed to catch Menzies' attention, even though she misses his comment. she strides quickly over, closing the space between them, and looks down at him, concerned. she's hoping this isn't what she thinks it is]

Jamie? You all right?

[bonnypiperlad]

[It takes a minute for him to notice Menzies - he's still feeling woozy from when he woke up, and when he finally does look up, it's with a look of faint confusion in his eyes.]

Hey? Oh...ah. I'm fine.

[This is not clearly not true, and even as he says it, he suspects she might call him on it.]

[grip_on_reality]

[considering the way he looks, she scoffs] Sure you are. Hold on. [and she disappears, returning a moment later with a glass of water that she offers to him] So what 'appened?

[bonnypiperlad]

Thanks.

[He's not about to turn down the water, and he accepts the glass gratefully, taking a sizeable drink from it before saying anything else. But when he does, it's with a slightly troubled expression on his face.]

I'm afraid I don't rightly remember, other than the fact I'd woken up with this broken knife next to me. It's not my knife, though, I know that much.

[grip_on_reality]

[she grimaces at that story, her tone low and dark] Yeah? You're not the first. [she sighs--then holds out a hand, gesturing toward the knife] Mind if I take a look?

And is there anything else you remember?

[bonnypiperlad]

I'm not?

[He's not sure he cares for the sound of that, but he turns the handle of the knife towards Menzies and offers it to her.]

Go ahead and take a look, but mind those broken bits. They're a wee bit sharp.

[Once she takes it, he settles back against the tree, brow furrowing in thought.]

Well, no. I'd come to the plane to check up on Trouble, and then the next thing I know I was lying on a table with the knife next to me. Ray was there, though, if ye know who he is.

[grip_on_reality]

[she shakes her head] No. There are least two others. [she considers whether to elaborate but decides it's best not to go too quickly. after all, if Jamie is in the same state as Eithan, that means he...well. met an unfortunate end lately. and if Jamie doesn't already know that, she doesn't want to spring it on him]

A sharp knife! What a surprise. [the sarcasm is a kneejerk response. she does take the knife carefully from him] Cheers. [she turns it over slowly in her hands, looking it over for any blood or markings]

Trouble? [at the comment about Ray, though, her expression grows a bit wry] We've met. What did he 'ave to say?

[bonnypiperlad]

[He pulls a little bit of a face at the sarcasm, but doesn't otherwise comment on it, choosing to let it slide for now.]

Aye, my ferret. Don't know if ye were here when the twins were still here, but they'd gotten a bunch of eggs and he hatched from one of them. It's easier to keep him on the Plane than have him underfoot in the TARDIS.

[There'd been a period of time where he'd tried the latter, but it hadn't worked out well. Better than what had happened to him that caused him to wake up in the lab, though. And he's got a good enough idea of what that means that Menzies doesn't have to elaborate.]

He didn't say anything, just looked like he'd not wanted me anywhere near him. So I left and came out through the shop. Did the other two happen to wind up in there, too, do ye know?

[grip_on_reality]

Ah, no. I guess I missed ferrets hatching from eggs. [she gives a wry sort of smile, but the joke is rather flat]

Did he? [she frowns. she knows that Ray can't stand to be around anything supernatural, and she wonders if in this case it's just because Jamie has died or if something else about him has changed. but she nods at his question] Yeah, they both did.

Jamie... [she pauses, not sure how to approach this, but she has a feeling it's better to ask than to tell in this situation] What do you think happened to you?

[bonnypiperlad]

[Maybe it's a little bit of both. Jamie's never bothered asking. But he does have his own suspicions on what might have happened to cause Ray to act that way - and the fact that he'd woken up on the table is a pretty large red flag to him as well. So he lifts his head to look at Menzies more directly, his lips pressing together in an unhappy sort of way.]

I think I died. And...and that's why I woke up where I did.

[grip_on_reality]

[she nods, glad to see that he's acknowledged that much] I'm sorry.

[more brusquely, she adds:] But if somebody's going about the Plane killing people, then we've got to work out who and put an end to it. [she pulls out her mobile, setting the knife on the ground in front of her as she snaps a photo of it. then she turns her attention back to Jamie] Look... I'm sure it's not easy. But is there anything else you can tell me? Anything you remember about what happened? Or even anything you know about this. [she gestures at the knife. putting her mobile back in her pocket, she picks it up, offering it back to him]

[bonnypiperlad]

[He doesn't say thank you in so many words, but he appreciates the sympathy, and the expression on his face does a good job of saying it for him. She's right, though. They need to figure out who did this before anyone else dies.]

I already told ye what I know about that, but...look, I can take ye to where I've got that place set up for Trouble. Maybe I'd gotten there before whatever happened to me happened and there'll be some sort of clue still around.

[grip_on_reality]

[she nods at the offer. inwardly, she's a little disappointed. she was hoping for new information, rather than just the same offer Eithan made. she found absolutely nothing at that scene, and she has a feeling the result will be the same this time--but still, she isn't going to ignore that opportunity] Think you can walk, or should I find you later?

[bonnypiperlad]

[He's hoping even if there's not a clue, there'll be something to jog his memory. As it is, right now he's got nothing useful to offer, which is frustrating.]

I can walk. Here, let me just...

[Get to his feet - which he's able to manage with the help of the tree he was sitting under. And once he's up, he looks more or less mobile, if ever so slightly wobbly still. Not wobbly enough that he thinks he needs help, though.]

There. Alright, it's not far. Come on, let's go.

[grip_on_reality]

[she stays close to him so she could support him if he needed it, but as it is, she doesn't interfere as he searches for his own balance. after all, it's the sort of treatment she knows she'd want in return. when he's ready, she nods] Where do you keep 'im, anyway? [because she's really not sure which of the Plane's buildings would be best for housing a ferret]

[bonnypiperlad]

[He appreciates her giving him the chance to find his own feet - and soon enough he seems fine, leading her through one of the paths towards where he'd set up a home for the ferret.]

Just over at the other end of the forest. I brought something in for him.

[Well, a few somethings, but most of them are in what appears to be a small outdoor enclosure that he's brought in and placed in a clearing - a place set up to be a ferret habitat, complete with food and watering stations and tubes and hammocks and multiple levels for Trouble to hang out in. That part of things looks perfectly fine - completely undisturbed. But not too far away is a large and noticeable discoloration, a patch of something on the ground that's darker than the vegetation around it. Jamie catches sight of it, and turns to grip at Menzies' sleeve.]

Here, do ye see that?!

[grip_on_reality]

[she smiles a little at the ferret enclosure, incongruous as it is against the backdrop of the Plane's forest] Nice place you've got set up.

[but she notices the stain at almost the same instant as Jamie does. at his rather upset response, she raises a hand, signaling for him to stay there] Calm down. I'll have a look.

[and she does just that, pulling away and walking up to the stained area so she can kneel down next to it. she's not trying to verify what the stain is--she's certain they already know that answer. but she is looking for a cause, assuming the dagger isn't it]

[and in fact it isn't. a glint of metal catches her eye, and Menzies reaches down to pick up the item. when she gets a good look at what it is, her expression darkens. without a word, she stands and returns to Jamie, holding it out to show him. not sure whether Jamie will understand its significance, she says quietly:] It's the casing from a bullet.

[bonnypiperlad]

[Calm is a relative term, but he at least keeps from wringing his hands together anxiously when she pulls away. It doesn't do anything to stop the look on his face when she does find the casing, because he knows guns well enough to recognize it - and he knows what it likely means to find something there.]

I was shot, then.

[And given the amount of blood that's around, even as dried as it is, he can guess at the next part.]

And I must've...must've bled to death before I could stop the bleeding.

[grip_on_reality]

[quietly, she says:] You may not have been conscious long. [not that she thinks it makes much difference in the end, especially since Jamie doesn't remember either way, but...she'd rather not think he suffered like that]

[in any case, she pockets the casing and offers a hand to Jamie] C'mon. Wherever you want to go, I'll take you there.

[it seems like the least she can do--and she can't imagine any way that it would be healthy for him to stay here]

[bonnypiperlad]

Aye, maybe you're right.

[Both about him being conscious for long and her mostly unspoken suggestion to get out of here, in fact. Trouble's asleep in the cage and seems none the worse for wear, so he adds a little more food to the ferret's dish, checks the water level quickly and decides it'll do for now.]

I...I've not got anywhere in mind. Can we just walk for a bit?

[grip_on_reality]

[she nods, glad not for the first time that the Plane allows her to do things like this without having to worry about missing a shift] Sure thing. [and she starts walking away from the area, slowly. she doesn't say anything else, trying to give Jamie the space he might need]